City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chattanooga | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,066/mo | $1,314/mo | 18.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $230,500 | $304,500 | 24.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,703 | $71,673 | 19.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.5 | 97.2 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 95.2 | 92.4 | 3.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 82.0 | 98.6 | 16.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.1 | 97.4 | 2.4% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chattanooga, you'd need $113,239 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chattanooga, TN is about 11.7% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 19% lower in Chattanooga than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chattanooga, you'd need about $90,591 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.